Fables by Arnold Lobel

Summary

This is a collection of 20 original fables and their individual illustrations. Fables are stories that involve animals and that have a moral. Many of these stories will be familiar to young children and will be beneficial in teaching lessons about virtue, character, and everyday life.

Genre

Folklore

"simply told, highly condensed morality tales" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2010, p. 16)

Subgenre: Traditional Fables

"Traditional stories, myths, legends, nursery rhymes, and songs from the past. Oral tradition; no known author" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2010, p. 12).

Illustrations

This book had very simple but beautiful illustrations that accompanied the fables and brought the story to life.

Classroom Activities

Reader's Response Question

and Discussion 

Activity 1

The Crocodile in the Bedroom

When the crocodile compares the flowers on his wallpaper to the flowers in the garden, what differences does he find?

The Ducks and the Fox

What differences of opinion do the two sisters have?

Make a list of the things the Fox says and does.

Compare the two trips that the Duck Sisters make to the pond.

King Lion and the Beetle

Please use the picture and the text to describe King Lion’s clothing.

What words did the Beetle use to answer the King after each command?

The Lobster and the Crab

Reread the fable with a friend, but read aloud only the dialogue between Crab and Lobster.

How many exclamation points does the author use to write this fable?

ERT (Everybody Read To): Start at the beginning of the fable and ERT to the part where Lobster and Crab begin their voyage.  What are the two things that Crab says to Lobster?  

The Hen and the Apple Tree

What is the very first thing the Hen says when she sees the apple tree growing outside her window?

List all of the things the Hen found odd about the apple tree. 

 The Frogs at the Rainbow’s End

What did each frog say they would find at the end of the rainbow?

Looking at the picture can you describe the frogs right before they entered the cave?

The Bear and the Crow

Compare how the bear was dressed before he met Crow to how he was dressed after he talked with Crow.

Bear made two trips back to his house – what were his reasons for returning home?

The Cat and His Visions

How did the cat’s visions change throughout the day?

The Camel Dances

What are all the ways that members of the audience let the camel know that they did not think she was a very good dancer?  What did they do and what did they say that indicated they did not like her dancing?

Madame Rhinoceros and Her Dress

List all the things the salesperson said to try and change Madame Rhinoceros’s mind about the dress.

Describe Madame Rhinoceros and her dress.  (Look at the illustration)

The Pelican and the Crane

Please list all of the rude behaviors demonstrated by Pelican.

Make a list of all the things Pelican says to Crane.

The Hippopotamus at Dinner

What did the author do to the word appetite when the Hippo is speaking? Why do you think he put that word all in capital letters?  What are some other ways that authors stress certain words or phrases when they are writing?

The Mouse at the Seashore

Can you tell about a time that you worked hard to accomplish something?

Why do the parents say to mouse to show that they do not want him to go to the seashore?

Make a list of the dangers Mouse encountered on his journey and then make a list of the rewards he reaped at the end of his journey.

Do you think Mouse will ever go on another trip?

 Activity 2

"What's the moral of the story?"

Each of Arnold Lobel's fables contain a message to the reader. Students participate in a classroom discussion on what the moral of each fable is. 

 Personal Response

The book won the Caldecott medal in 1981, Horn Book Fanfare, ALA Notable Children’s Book, New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, Library of Congress Children’s Books.

Author's Background Information

Arnold Lobel (1933-1961) is a highly recognized children book author and illustrator. He referred himself as a daydreamer, because he envisioned the story in his mind before he put it on paper. Lobel was adopted by his grandparents and had to refrain a year from school due to an illness. His first book that he wrote as well as illustrated was A Zoo for Mister Muster, published in 1962.

Other Works

• Ming Lo Moves the Mountain 
• The Rose in My Garden 
• The Devil and Mother Crump

References

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2010). Literature and the child (7^th ed.). Belmond, CA:Wadsworths, Inc.

Lobel, A. (1980). Fables. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers